Wire rope or cable



(N0 Model.)

J. B. STONE. WIRE ROPE 0R CABLE.

Patented'DeG 3 UNrTnn STATES PATENT l OFFICE;

JAMES B. STONE, OF VOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WIRE ROPE OR CABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,189, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed July 14, 1888. Serial No. 279,940. (No model.) i

- Cables, of which the following is a specificaries of wires are removed.

. shown in Fig. 1.

tiem-reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to increase the durability of wire ropes or cables by constructing them in such a manner that when subjected to strain when in use they will remain circular in cross-section, so that each outer wire will receive its equal share of the In the drawings, Figure l is a cross-section of a strand or rope embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, with a portion ofthe outer series of wires removed. Fig. 3 is a section of the same where the outer se- Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a strand or rope in common use, as it appears when new. Fig. 5 represents the same after it has been subjected to some strain in use. Fig. 6 is a section of a strand or rope in common use and composed of outer wires of different sizes. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a variety of strand or rope embodying my invention, and different from that Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a wire rope composed of four strands constructed in accordance with my invention.

It is well knownl to those familiar with the art to which my invention relates that wire ropes or cables as ordinarily constructed wear unequally, some of the outer wires becoming worn through and unstranded before others are worn but little, so that the life of the rope or cable is not so long as it would be if the wear werewequal on all of the wearingwires. This unequal wear results from the strain to which the rope or cable is subjected,

and which, by closing up the interstices between the concentric series of wires, presses the rope or cable out of round, so that some of the outer wires project beyond others, and thus receive more wear. Thus when a strand or rope composed of nineteen wires of equal diameter is new it is circular in section, as

shown in Fig. t, with large interstices between the inn er and outer series of wires; but

when the same strand or rope has been subjected to some strain and wear the wires become displaced, filling these larger interstices, but giving the strand or rope a hexagonal form, as shown in Fig. 5, and in which the wires at what may be termed the angles are more prominent than the others, and therefore receive more wear. It has been proposed to obviate this difficulty by making the strand or rope of outer wires of different sizes, as shown by Fig. 6; but this only partially obviates the trouble, as the smaller outerwires will not wear so long as the larger ones. I have discovered that the difficulty may be obviated by using between the outer andinner concentric series of wires small filler-wires or hard twisted cords, which will ill the larger interstices between these series, and which will thus preserve the circular contour of the strand or rope.

A strand or rope which is in most general use consists of a central wire covered with an inner series of siX wires, and the latter being in turn covered by an outer series of twelve wires, these nineteen wires being all of the same size.

Figs. l, 2, and 3 represent a strand or rope of this kind, a denoting the series of outer wires, c ,the series of inner wires, and d the central wire, all of equal size; and b denotes the small iiller wires or cords of my invention interposed between the outer and inner wires a and c, filling the larger interstices between these two series of wires, and thus preserving the circularity of contour of the strand or rope.

Fig. 7 illustrates my invention as applied to a strand or rope consisting of a series of three inner wires c, surrounded by an outer series of nine wires a. It will therefore be understood that my invention may be used in connection with a strand or rope consisting of two or more series of wires of any desired number, the iiller wires or cords cbeing of less size than the wires of the said series and occupying what would otherwise be the objectionable spaces or interstices between the concentric series of wires.

In forming large ropes or cables any desired number of the strands or small ropes-such as are shown in Figs. 1 and 7-may be used, the same being twisted together in the usual IOO manner, Figs. 8 and 9 illustrating a eable cornposed of four strands sneh as are lrepresented in Fig. 1.

I am aware that it is not new to form cables or ropes partly of wire and partly of fibrous materials, and I do not therefore wish to be understood as claiming; this feature, broadly; but

What I do claim, and desire to`seenre by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rope or strand consisting of two or more concentric series of wires with smaller filler wires or cords between the said series of wires, as set forth.

JAMES B. STONE. Witnesses:

A. W. WELGE, J. WILLIAM HILLS. 

